Stairs to the Roof
by Anshu
Summary: "Gardner, I'm a rib short. And I've come to the understanding that my missing rib was utilised for your creation. It's hardly surprising that you have the spunk, the loyalty and the caring characteristics. While I dominate in looks and logic."


Disclaimer- Denied.

Storyline-plot Anshu © 13/2/2011

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_"Téa Gardner, you're a strange girl. And this is one weird dream."_

Dressed in denim shorts and a light blue tank top, Téa folded her arms and frowned.

Standing in the middle of nowhere, the twenty six years old looked at the winding wooden staircase in front of her.

_"Wake up, idiot!"_

Téa knew she was dreaming.

Subconsciously, she recalled her flight from Vienna landing at the Domino airport few hours ago. There on, she remembered flagging a cab, and heading straight to her two bed apartment in an upscale neighbourhood. Joey had called her midway, inviting her for a couple of drinks. To which, she had politely declined. It had been a long flight, and an even longer working week.

She knew upon reaching her depressing home; she had switched on the lights, and abandoned her bags in the living room. She had briefly glanced over her mail, and ignored the phone messages. Then on, she had made a bee-line straight for the bar. Where she drank a glass of red wine with melatonin, not a good combination, but it had taken care of her tired nerves. Followed by a nice, long soak in the Epsom bath salt to ease the strains of her tired body.

She considered being too exhausted to be bothered with a proper night dress. And in the rush, she had grabbed the first thing out of her wardrobe, a black cotton turtleneck. The shirt, though a couple of sizes big, had felt warm and clean. She had worn it, and smiled at the familiar fragrance of musk, bergamot, cinnamon, and cedar, the smell of class and comfort. Sprawled on the bed, she had felt her senses dulled by the wine.

There was a buzzing in her ear as her hand had hit the bed side phone. Despite the lethargy and jet lagged, in few minutes, she had lost her mind to the ends of a deep, peaceful sleep.

Only to find her consciousness wide awake and in the middle of nowhere!

And a winding wooden staircase, with lots of twists and turns, as her only path forward!

Téa frowned at the staircase and then at herself. She was in shorts. Strange! She had changed her dress.

_"Strange indeed. But it's your dream, so just go with it." _It was surreal.

"There are countless stairs."

_"Why the stairs? Hmm. If you're going to climb all these steps, then there better be someone up there who speaks English."_

Her resolve firmed, she took the first step on the spiral way. And was shocked to see...

_"Mr. & Mrs. Gardner?"_

The holographic images of her parents. They were smiling at her. A second ago, there was nothing and now... the images of her mum and dad?

_"Relax. Don't panic. It's only a dream. Move forward."_

On the second step, she found her friends. The gang. Yugi, Joey, Tristan. There was Mai winking with big thumbs up. Sweet Serenity smiling, waving.

_"Okay! No more taking wine and melatonin together."_

On the third step, she saw herself and her mother. They were standing outside the court of law. It was of the time, when she was thirteen years old, the time of her parents' divorce. It was a gut wrenching, stomach churning moment to see her father walking out of their lives.

_"Past is past."_ The stairway, like life, had many more steps upwards. _"Move, Gardner."_

She moved ahead.

The fourth step was the setting of a school. It was a classroom. Her eyes narrowed at the memory. She distinctly recalled this class of her favourite philosophy teacher Mr. Jones. They had discussed the works of Immanuel Kant that day. She watched with the avid curiosity as the scene unfolded before her. Her gaze fixed on one particular student.

"What's a Manifold? Anyone?"

After writing the question on the blackboard, Mr. Jones dusted the chalk powder off his fingers. Smoothing the crease of his black trousers, he settled himself on the desk. The grey of his eyes fixed on the fifteen year old Téa Gardner. She was his favourite student.

Standing up, she answered. "According to Immanuel Kant, Manifold is the totality of the discrete items of experience as presented to the mind."

"In simple terms…?"

"Events that happen in Space and in time have the power to influence other events." Téa simplified.

"Not simple enough." The teacher looked around the class over his dark rimmed glasses. Most of the students avoided his gaze. Most but one. "Mr. Kaiba, please explain further."

Sitting diagonally to her, Seto didn't bother with the courtesy of standing up. His rudeness given, though he felt the sharp awareness, an odd pull, someone was watching him. And that someone was watching him with concealed anger. Pulled by that strange magnetic pulse, his gaze penetrated the student body, and found the culprit. Ceruleans looked angry. Of course, she was. He had insulted her favourite teacher. Barely masking his smirk, Seto looked straight in Téa's beautiful eyes and answered the question, as if speaking to her.

"Events accepted and rejected by the senses, mind, and consciousness of a person. For example, when we talk about senses- Eyes -see. Ears- hear. Nose – smell. Tongue- taste. Skin- feel. **Heart** -**desires**." And here, Téa lowered her lashes, breaking the spell. Seto continued, looking at the teacher. "Consciousness approves. But mind rejects. Then there's also the question of the intuition, the perception, the identity, the receptivity… and the combination of understanding. Pure understanding."

Intrigued, Mr. Jones asked further. "Why does mind reject pure understanding, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Due to several social factors like prejudice, preconceived notions, fear, folk tales, self deceit, false illusions." Seto glanced briefly over her. "And also because of the clichés 'he said so… and she said so… and because he is 'this' so he can't 'be that.'''

"Excellent Mr. Kaiba" Mr. Jones turned towards the blackboard. "There's mind. And then there's the consciousness. Understand the difference between…" The lecture continued.

But Téa was deaf to the theoretical knowledge. She was experiencing the practical form - by spacing out. Her awareness engulfed in the first fold of the Manifold. Her eyes saw the passion and the promises in his. Was he harbouring some sort of feelings for her? Since when? Why? Was this even possible? And how? He was Seto Kaiba, a controlled sentient being. He was a proud man, an arrogant man, a haughty-culturist with drop-dead gorgeous looks, an A-sexual personality, and an ambitious drive.

He couldn't possibly… He can't be in love. He can't do that. The mind rejected. Her mind held her back.

_"Not possible? You're such a coward."_

The fifth step of the staircase led her to another set of _staircase_. She knew these flights of steps very well. It was of Pegasus's castle. The Roof. It was the time of their first official confrontation. It was also the first time when the Ears – heard.

"What do you have at the end of the day?"

_"__I have all that I need."_

On the sixth step of the stairway, Téa sneezed. Her senses, her nose, recognised the heavy notes of musk, bergamot, cinnamon and cedar, even before her mind could register. It was the smell of class and comfort. His essence.

On the seventh step, she refused to go further. The dominance of her consciousness over her mind and her choices was killing her. It wasn't fair.

"What's going on? I demand an answer." She screamed at her sleeping form. "And I demand one – NOW."

_Silence_.

"I'm not moving forward until I know what's going on."

"_Gardner, I'm a rib short. And I have come to the understanding that my missing rib was used for your creation. Now that I think of it, it's hardly surprising that you have the spunk, the loyalty and the caring characteristics. While I dominate in logic and looks. _

"Huh?"

"_I don't entertain deceit. What's mine is mine."_

This… was not the answer she was looking for. "Have I died?"

"_No you imbecile. You're very much alive. You're talking in your sleep. Now wake up. You're scaring the neighbours."_

"What?"

"_Your flight was late. I was worried. I called up to check. And I'm glad I did. I know you love me. I've known it all along."_

"W-what?"

"_You had wine with melatonin, didn't you? You're hallucinating. Get up and get back to your senses. And open the damn door. I'm not in a mood to create a scene. Not right now."_

"WHAT?"

"WAKE UP, Téa. And open the door… never mind. I found your spare key."

Téa woke up with a jolt. The blood drained from her face. Seto was here. She was sweating, shaking, shivering in the aftermath. Seto was here. What was real and what was not? And did she just speak to Seto? Seto called up? Her bed side phone was off the hook. When? How? Why? Seto was here. And did she really blabbered things to him in her trance like state?

O God! He knew. He knew she had feelings for him. Not crush, not infatuation, but strong, deep, inner feelings.

And he was here. In her personal sphere. Dressed in an all black combats. Looking tall, handsome, and arrogant as ever. A deadly combination of cool control and white hot blaze of passion. Arms folded, he stood. His gaze focussed on a silver framed picture of his and hers. They had taken this photograph during their destined trip to Berlin. She was on her way to confront her father over her mother's death. And he… to close some impeding business. That trip turned out to be one hell of a lifetime adventure. She had taken special measures to frame the photograph. She had even had it engraved with her favourite quote by Tennessee Williams.

- A Prayer for the Wild at Heart, Kept in Cages.

Cages created by the bars of their own mind. Her mind. A faint laugh escaped her lips, diverting his attention. "Hi!"

Seto took his time observing her. And then observing her night dress. "Nice shirt."

Téa closed her eyes to block the sight of him. Maybe this was all just a dream. A self-mortification induced dream. Well, he often accused her for deriving the pleasure in the conscious of her own degradation. But Why? Why tonight of all the nights? Why she had to wear his shirt tonight? She had borrowed this shirt without his permission. But with every intention of returning it… well, almost, _someday_. It wasn't technically theft. It was hormone induced insanity and border lining desperation. Besides, the black turtleneck felt excitingly appealing against her bare skin. Okay, she needed therapy.

Seto watched the blushing perfection created from his ribs for him. The supple lines of her body that clung to his shirt. The softness of her mouth. The silkiness of her lips. Her fuller breasts. Narrow waists, round hips. All his. To him, the right side of her bed looked tempting. It was time to unfold the last of the Manifold.

Eyes -saw. Ears- heard. Nose – smelled. Tongue- tasted. Skin- felt. And Heart –desired. In space and in time, their consciousness had approved the feelings a while back. But was the mind willing?

Seto looked straight in the beautiful ceruleans and asked. "What do _we _have at the end of the day?"

Téa smiled. Shifting over to the left side of the bed. She replied, inviting him in. "Each other."

In Space and In time – 10 years ago.

"What do you have at the end of the day?"

"I have all that I need.

In Space and In time – 10 years later.

"What do we have at the end of the day?"

"Each other."

* * *

AN: Italic fonts represents Seto's conversations. Téa thinks she is talking to her herself in her dream induced haze. But in truth, she is on the phone with Seto.

A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages- Tenessee Williams.


End file.
